


I’m chemically drawn closer to you

by Toomanyfandoms99



Series: Postbellum [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Force Visions, Geonosis, Geonosis Arena, Jedi Leia Organa, Jedi Temple (Star Wars), Loth-Cat, Loth-wolf - Freeform, Lothal, M/M, Near Future, Nexu, Post-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, dagobah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 14:14:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20565701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toomanyfandoms99/pseuds/Toomanyfandoms99
Summary: Ezra recognized the change in Luke’s demeanor, the same controlled fire reflected back in two pairs of eyes, and smirked.Staffs poked at their backs, and the only gate protecting them from the nexu was opened.Four eyes and countless teeth growled at them as they were thrown into the pit, the gate closing abruptly so they couldn’t run.“So,” Ezra said, “what’s the plan?”





	I’m chemically drawn closer to you

**Author's Note:**

> The title was taken from the song “Those Nights” by Bastille.

“We have a special treat for everyone today,” a smarmy announcer said, his voice echoing off the coliseum walls and causing the crowd to cheer.

Luke felt like an animal as his Force binders dug into his wrists, eyes peering out of the slats in the pit gate. He gritted his teeth and tried, for no reason except to hope, to override the Force binders by sheer willpower alone. He gritted his teeth and concentrated, but nothing happened. He was about to get frustrated, but he closed his eyes to center himself.

“These boys are the stuff of legend,” the announcer continued, “and we captured them outside our airspace.” He started to laugh, and the entire crowd joined in too.

The guard shoved the love of his life against the gate too, and Luke examined his profile sadly. He had received the pointy end of a staff earlier, and his cheek was sliced open like a meiloorun fruit. 

The things Ezra Bridger did for Luke Skywalker astounded him, sometimes. In both the good and the bad way.

Ezra straightened his posture, tearing his eyes from Luke’s and clenching his jaw to curb his rage. 

“Our glorious nexu champion,” the announcer said, a round of applause drowning him out for a moment, “is going to have two tasty Jedi to eat!”

At the reveal, the roars for blood became so loud that Luke felt nothing but defiance and determination to win.

Luke narrowed his eyes as the opposite gate opened, the feral nexu nearly busting the rusted metal before it could retract entirely.

At the cheers, Luke wondered if this was what the old Jedi felt like when the Clone Wars began in this very Geonosian coliseum.

Ezra’s blue fire eyes burned into him, and if they were in a more private circumstance, Luke would have blushed to the tips of his toes.

Ezra recognized the change in Luke’s demeanor, the same controlled fire reflected back in two pairs of eyes, and smirked.

Staffs poked at their backs, and the only gate protecting them from the nexu was opened.

Four eyes and countless teeth growled at them as they were thrown into the pit, the gate closing abruptly so they couldn’t run.

“So,” Ezra said, “what’s the plan?”

“Subdue it,” Luke replied, feeling their Force binders loosen due to the announcer’s controls, falling onto the sand. Luke absently rubbed at his wrists.

The Force flowed through his veins, and Luke smiled at his power returning in a flood.

The nexu’s claws, as big as Luke’s arm, propelled the nexu forward. His sharp teeth glistened in the beating sunlight, black eyes honing in on two inwardly-frightened Jedi.

Luke threw his fear into the Force, Yoda’s words reminding him of the path not taken, the path he could never take. He could feel Ezra struggle to do the same, but he knew Ezra would be alright.

Ezra may have dipped into the Dark Side before, but it didn’t control him.

The spikes on the nexu’s back shone, sharp as blades, as it foamed at the mouth. Cheers hit Luke’s ears as loud as a thunderclap, but he filtered them out.

The announcer exclaimed, “let the match begin!”

At those words, whatever controlled the nexu was broken, and it charged.

————

The Force woke Leia at dawn in a cold sweat, and she sat up alertly, catching her breath. She absently used the extra blanket to cover up, glancing over at Han, who always slept soundly after they made love.

She knew from the Force’s blaring alarms in her mind that her brother was to blame. Even when they were star systems apart, being connected to his vital signs and emotions couldn’t be switched off.

And Luke was in danger.

As soon as she thought it, she received a call from Mon. 

Her mouth was completely dry as she flicked on the comm and said numbly, “yes?”

“Get to the strategy room right now,” she said.

“Be there in a few,” Leia said curtly, switching off the comm.

Leia tossed away the blanket, the Falcon’s chill giving her goosebumps. She opened her closet and pulled on the first pair of pants she could find. She also tossed on two plain shirts and a vest, realizing absently that she was not up to her usual fashion standards. She let her wavy hair fall in a massive curtain to the small of her back, checking in a mirror to make sure she looked decent without makeup.

She snuck out of the bedroom, and glanced at Han as he emitted a particularly loud snore. Leia rolled her eyes and hid a smile, sliding the door closed behind her. She rounded the hallway and caught a glimpse of Chewbacca passed out on the booth, in the middle of fixing the carburetor.

She extended the ramp and walked soundlessly through the hanger, sensing a Force signature in the Ghost that was awake as well.

Kanan Jarrus. He clearly sensed something amiss. She wouldn’t be surprised if he soon joined her in the strategy room to inquire about Ezra.

Leia continued down the hallways briskly, tension mounting in the strategy room. Once she entered, every single bleary gaze settled on her.

“Leia,” Mon said, the only person as awake as her, “we found a video circulating around the outer rim.”

Leia lowered herself into a chair over the map table. “Luke and Ezra, right?”

Mon blinked, and before she could ask how she knew that, the answer occurred to her. The video became a hologram on the table screen, and Mon played it before she could create any more delays.

Leia had heard horror stories about the coliseum on Geonosis. She knew that the Clone Wars started there, and people were constantly captured to entertain their nexu beast. The nexu was apparently the closest thing to a celebrity the Geonosians had, and it was apparently as old as the Clone Wars itself.

Seeing Luke and Ezra in the position as the nexu’s next prey had Leia’s heart in her throat. She was glad she had the foresight to sit down first.

Leia dipped into the Force, and felt Luke’s pulse point beside her own, his vital signs tired, but alive.

The holographic nexu pounced, and Luke leapt into the air, the Force guiding him up slow, then down fast. Luke landed on the nexu’s neck, Ezra diving towards a series of pillars marking the middle of the pit. 

Ezra climbed a pillar effortlessly, even though there were no visible grips. He used the Force instead, and the energy bent to his will, allowing him to walk up at a straight angle, acting against gravity itself. Ezra grasped the end of a long chain, usually meant to tie up victims, strengthening his grip to gain momentum.

Luke had pinned the nexu’s neck to the sand, and its four claws slipped across terrain, unable to prevent its body falling flat to the ground. The nexu was a wild animal rendered docile, barely contained in a cage. Teeth gnashed out in vain, claws digging into the sand but unable to gain a good grip.

Leia had no idea why the nexu wasn’t fighting back. It could easily kick off Luke, but whatever Luke was doing was keeping it contained.

Ezra suddenly ran across the pillar for traction, using the chain as a rope to swing towards Luke. The chain broke as he flew, but Leia could tell it was Ezra’s intention. Ezra flew against gravity, eating up the long distance as he whipped the chain.

Luke tipped his head up and grasped the other end of the chain. If he had been a second later, Ezra would have crashed to the ground.

Luke leapt into the air again, the nexu barely getting up before Ezra locked the chain around its neck from underneath. 

Luke finished the chain bind, Ezra slipping away just in time for the nexu to fall into the sand again. Luke landed on the opposite side of the nexu, dragging the chain and subduing the beast. Ezra tugged on his end a little harder once the nexu bared its teeth towards Luke.

The nexu stopped struggling, dazed from asphyxiation.

Luke let go of his part of the chain and stepped in front of its face. He did not look in the least bit afraid as razor sharp teeth and four menacing eyes stared back. Ezra watched uncertainly, ready to attack at any sign of danger to Luke’s person.

Luke placed two fingers together, holding them out, stepping towards the nexu’s head. Fingers brushed forehead fur, and the nexu fell unconscious.

Luke and Ezra shared a look, Ezra dropping the chains and hearing the crowd’s anger. They stepped beside each other, saw the chaos ensuing, and began to run.

The hologram cut out, and Leia’s gaze slid up to Mon’s. “Do we know their whereabouts?”

Mom silently brought up the tracking chip on Leia’s ship, which she allowed Luke to borrow.

The ship left Geonosis, and had charted a course for Lothal.

“Do you know why they would go to Lothal and not return to base?” Mon asked Leia critically.

“No,” Leia replied, “but they must have a good reason.”

————

Luke had set the ship on autopilot after leaving Geonosian airspace when he sensed a shift in the Force.

Ezra, who was applying batca to a nasty cut on Luke’s arm while he still flew, tilted his head sideways in contemplation. “I haven’t felt a presence like that since…”

Ezra’s voice drifted off, and he looked sharply at the cockpit entrance.

He knelt, eyes blown wide and mouth completely open. His breath halted, and Luke patted the bacta patch, swiveling in the pilot’s chair.

He didn’t expect an actual wild animal to be on the ship.

Before Luke could naturally recoil, it brushed him with the Force.

“Ez,” Luke asked breathlessly, “what’s that?”

To Luke’s surprise, Ezra smiled wistfully.

“Oh,” he whispered, tucking his legs underneath his thighs, holding out a hand, “you shouldn’t be here, darling.”

Luke furrowed his brows. Did Ezra just call a giant wolf a ‘darling’? What?

Ezra glanced up at a perplexed Luke, his lips pulling back, showing his teeth. “It’s alright,” he said warmly, “it’s a Loth-wolf. She wouldn’t dare hurt a Force sensitive.”

To make Ezra’s point, the female Loth-wolf approached them slowly, bowing its head to Ezra’s hand. She sniffed Ezra and pushed her head into Ezra’s palm.

Ezra chuckled, his fingers digging into white fur. “You know me, huh? I’m not surprised.”

The Loth-wolf sat on the durasteel, getting comfortable with Ezra petting her fondly.

“Loth-wolves are Force sensitive,” Luke stated, blinking at how strange it was to see Ezra handling a wild animal as if it were a harmless fly.

“Yeah,” Ezra exhaled, “so are Loth-cats. They’re only like this with Force-sensitive Lothalians, and as far as I know,” a tinge of sadness was hidden beneath his tone, “I’m the only one left.”

“They guarded the Temple?”

“Yes,” Ezra said, scratching behind the wolf’s ear, “before it was destroyed. I’m not sure what happened after that, but they must hide somewhere near it.” He frowned at the wolf’s sudden stare. “I can only imagine what she went through to get to Geonosis.”

Luke was upset by the prospect of such sacred animals being captured and paraded across the galaxy. It was another issue to add to the list of the New New Republic’s problems that needed to be resolved.

“She was clever enough to stow away on our ship after the chaos,” Luke said. “She must have seen you.”

“Or sensed us,” Ezra suggested quietly. He curved a hand over the wolf’s head. “Did you sense us, darling?”

The Loth-wolf inclined its head as an affirmative nod.

“Do you want us to help you?” Ezra murmured to the wolf, his voice taking on a genuinely sweet tone, reminding Luke of how he acted around children.

The Loth-wolf’s eyes perked up in answer.

Ezra gazed at Luke from his position on the floor. “We need to take her home.”

Luke didn’t want to be the one to get them back on mission. It was a failure, anyway. And since they weren’t due on base for a few days, Luke figured a detour couldn’t hurt.

He wouldn’t dare wipe a bright smile off of Ezra Bridger’s face. And he wouldn’t dare leave a Loth-wolf to fend for itself.

Ezra looked ridiculously happy, and the Loth-wolf needed to return to familiar surroundings, so Luke plotted a course for Lothal without a word exchanged between them.

He rose from the chair after the ship redirected itself, dashing a thumb across Ezra’s cheek. “You’re still bleeding.”

Ezra blinked. “Oh.”

Luke smiled gently. “Forgot you’re hurt?”

Ezra blushed sheepishly. “There’s more bacta patches in the med kit.”

“I’ll get it,” Luke said softly, slipping out of the cockpit.

Ezra watched him leave, and the Loth-wolf watched Ezra. The wolf watched Luke disappear absently, then glanced back to Ezra. The Loth-wolf suddenly understood, and Ezra didn’t feel violated by its golden eyes analyzing their relationship through the Force.

She was smarter than Ezra thought.

Ezra absently brushed back the wolf’s fur, and she let him, tail swishing domestically.

Luke returned a moment later and knelt beside Ezra. He remained as still as possible while Luke tended to the wound. He hardly winced as Luke dabbed away dry blood and covered the cut with a bacta patch.

Luke kissed the bandage and said, “all done.”

Ezra blushed heatedly, but managed, “a kiss on the cheek? That’s it?”

Amusement reached the wolf’s eyes, and Luke grasped Ezra’s chin. Luke turned Ezra’s head to his will, and he brushed their lips together briefly. The Force reacted to the spark, and rejoiced in the flame.

When Luke leaned back, Ezra’s gaze was raking across his face dreamily. His lashes hung darkly over his eyes, and he grinned.

The Loth-wolf brought its head forward, and Luke blinked down as its snout nudged his palm open.

“See?” Ezra exhaled a soft laugh. “She likes you.”

Luke moved his hand to the wolf’s head, feeling the soft white fur. He smiled to combat a hint of nervousness. “Hello. Shall I call you Darling?”

Ezra snort-laughed, his head resting against Luke’s shoulder. “That can be her name until she gets home. Darling.”

The Loth-wolf twitched its ear to the side.

“And so it is,” Luke said.

Ezra hummed. “And so it is.”

————

It was incredibly unusual to wake up to someone knocking on the Falcon ramp.

As soon as Han rolled out of bed, Leia nowhere to be found, he knew it couldn’t be for a good reason.

He heard Chewbacca yowl at the person knocking, and Han called out, “I’ll be there in a minute, Chewie!”

He received a growl back, and Han frowned as he slipped into black pants and a white shirt. For kicks, he clipped on the pilot’s tags Luke had grown fond of wearing, which had every pilot’s name and rank on them. He ran a hand over mussed hair, remembering it was Leia’s hands that did that. Han allowed himself a beat to swoon before keying open the bedroom door.

He heard another growl as the ramp was being retracted, and he reached the side of the Falcon.

Han and Chewbacca were genuinely shocked to see the Ghost crew at the base of the ramp.

Han scratched his head, at a loss. “Eh? Now I definitely know something’s up.” He popped his feet into his boots and descended the ramp, Chewbacca a step behind him. “So what’s up?”

“I sensed something was wrong with Ezra,” Kanan said, “so I figured we could walk together and inquire what’s going on.”

Han raised an eyebrow critically. “You seem too calm about that.”

“Eh,” Kanan shrugged, his tone amused, “with a troublesome thief as a former apprentice, you learn not to sweat it so much.”

“Even the word ‘troublesome’ is an understatement,” Sabine muttered.

“Alright,” Han said, “let’s go, then.”

They left the hanger in a large group, clogging up the halls, but not caring enough to move.

The Lasat, who Han remembered was named Zeb, looked at the tags and said absently, “Luke has those.”

The metal pilot’s tags shone in the overhead lights, and Han said, “every pilot has these.”

“A little morbid,” Sabine chimed, “isn’t it?”

Han grimaced. “Oh, most definitely.”

“If you don’t mind me saying,” Hera observed, “you don’t seem like Leia’s type.”

Han shrugged. “It was love at first fight. What can I say?”

“Not sight?” Zeb asked confusedly.

Chewbacca chortled, and Han replied, “I really do mean fight. But we deal with each other. I dunno what to tell you. It’s whatever.”

Han was glad that they reached the strategy room, the door sliding open. His gaze immediately found Leia, and despite her obvious tiredness, she was as fiery as ever.

Mon turned away from Leia upon their approach, and she said, “oh, good. I’m glad you’re all here at once.”

Leia was visibly incredulous at seeing them in the same company. She focused on Kanan. “Sensed Ezra, huh?”

Kanan nodded sagely. “And you sensed Luke.”

Leia nodded back. “If you’ll direct your attention to the hologram, you’ll see what happened.”

Mon replayed the video on the holographic table, and Han was speechless.

He tried to ignore all this Force nonsense as much as possible. It was freaky, and it was weird, and it made him uncomfortable.

There was no hiding his fragile mind from this. Watching Ezra walk on a pillar using the Force and Luke Force-jumping made that hard for Han to do.

Stars, his life was insane.

When the video cut out, Han heard Kanan cluck his tongue.

“Is that disapproval?” Sabine asked him.

“Ezra was,” Kanan said, “a little too showy.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have declared him a Knight after all,” Hera teased.

“He did everything else right,” Kanan said hesitantly. “A single misstep is forgivable.”

“This aside,” Mon cut in, “they are apparently heading for Lothal. Do you know why this might be?”

Expecting answers, the Ghost crew didn’t give Mon any.

“Everything Ezra does is because it is the right thing to do,” Kanan offered.

“Even if he disobeys orders,” Leia said, “Luke is the same way.”

“So long as they return on the designated day,” Mon decided, “I won’t penalize them.”

————

Ezra set Leia’s ship to a night cycle, fully expecting to take first watch should they get contacted by base.

Instead, Luke surprised him by saying, “let’s both rest. We need it.”

Ezra swiveled in the copilot’s chair, glancing uncertainly at the Loth-wolf lying near the cockpit entrance. “Are you sure you’re okay with Darling watching over us?”

Luke stood from the pilot’s chair, offering a hand. Ezra intertwined their fingers together and rose to his feet.

Luke murmured at Ezra’s profile, “yes, Ez, I’m okay with an agent of the Light watching over us.”

When he said it like that, Ezra’s mouth quirked upwards. “You make a good point.”

The Loth-wolf perked up, leading them through the corridor and to the back of the ship. The vessel was small, but large enough to carry the entire Falcon crew comfortably.

The wolf lingered at the front of the master bedroom door, where the couple settled when their mission began. Luke keyed open the room and lead Ezra inside, the wolf pattering behind them before the door closed.

They sat on opposite sides of the bed, peeling off their dirty clothes and replacing them with light shirts and boxers. Luke wore his pilot’s tags, and Ezra wore his green kyber crystal necklace.

At the sight of the kyber, the Loth-wolf stepped closer to the bed, as if drawn to it. Ezra held out his palm and allowed the wolf to nudge his hand and sniff the necklace. Ezra realized belatedly she was practically in his lap, and he chuckled.

Luke peeked over his shoulder fondly and asked, “think she’ll wanna come up here?”

Ezra suddenly laid flat on his back, peering upside down at Luke, his head settled near Luke’s thigh. His eyes were bright as he replied, “if you don’t mind, I think she will.”

Luke brushed back a lock of hair from Ezra’s forehead, which had gone from a buzzcut to a wavy mess over the past weeks. He noted that Ezra’s white shirt was practically transparent, and he had to mentally kick himself when his mind wandered.

Luke brushed his thumb across the bacta patch on Ezra’s cheek, and said, “while I have you here, we should change your bandage.”

Ezra pouted and made a noise of protest.

Luke chuckled at his childishness and left the bed. He moved the med kit to a vanity that Luke was pretty sure Leia bought several copies of to have in different places. He procured another bacta patch, as well as a smaller one for his arm.

When he saw Ezra hadn’t moved, Luke peered down at his face and said, “if you don’t remove it, I’ll rip it off your face really hard.”

“Ooh,” Ezra grinned, “is that so, or can you not stand to hurt me?”

Luke stuck his fingernail underneath the side of the bandage. “Let’s find out.”

“Hey!” Ezra laughed, pushing Luke’s hand away from his face. “Okay! I’ll take it off.”

Luke’s gaze raked down to Ezra’s shirt. “Oh yeah?”

Ezra gasped loudly, smacking Luke’s arm. “Stop objectifying me!” He grinned brightly, clearly pleased by Luke’s candor.

Luke winked, sitting on the bed as Ezra tore off the bandage. He smoothly transferred the new bacta patch on Ezra’s cut. “It’s healing nicely,” Luke reported. “You’ll be good as new soon.”

“Want me to do yours?”

“I got it,” Luke said, taking off his own bacta patch and replacing it quickly.

“How’s yours lookin’?” Ezra inquired, sitting up on the bed and brushing a hand across the wolf’s head.

“Mine will be healed soon too,” Luke replied, “but I’m no expert.”

As Luke got under the covers, Ezra retracted both hands from petting Darling and did the same. Once they got comfortable, she leapt onto the foot of the bed and plopped there, gaze directed to the door.

Luke smiled, and Ezra turned to face him. He smiled back, kissing Luke’s cheek. “Sweet dreams.”

Luke found the keypad on the nightstand and flicked off the lights. “You too, Ez.”

————

Leia stared at Sabine’s new abstract mural near the hanger. It was a series of random swirls, and she couldn’t figure out what it meant. She had gotten a spiel from Luke that art was supposed to remind you of something, make you feel something, whether it was good or bad.

Leia thinks Luke has gotten too friendly with Sabine, and sounded too much like her.

She stared into blue-green swirls, and thought of the water. The lakes of Naboo. The sea.

“Hi,” Sabine said brightly, standing beside Leia.

The question was there, so Leia answered, “I see water.”

“Not uncommon,” Sabine chirped.

“Or maybe I’m just too exhausted to look deeper,” Leia offered.

“Yeah,” Sabine said, “I get that. I’m worried for them too.”

“Do you know why they’re headed for Lothal?” Leia asked curiously. “I’ve been wracking my brain, and I’ve got nothing.”

“Maybe it’s simpler than we think,” Sabine suggested. “Maybe Ezra wants to show Luke his home.”

“A romantic gesture?” Leia smiled amusedly. “Ezra doesn’t seem like the type.”

“I didn’t used to think so either,” Sabine said wistfully, “but he’s so sweet on Luke I think he would do anything for him.”

Leia stared at the swirls, and noted that another spiral was dotted with pink paint. Or maybe she was seeing things.

“Ezra’s changed a lot, you know,” Sabine mused. “He went from hating the world to falling to his knees for your brother. He went from not trusting anyone to loving everyone. He went from only caring about himself to liberating an entire planet from the Empire’s rule. Part of that was us teaching him not to be so cruel, but the other part? The more recent changes I see in him?” Sabine smiled at Leia. “That’s all Luke.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Leia wondered aloud.

“Because I want you to know,” Sabine replied, “I’m on their side, and that makes me on your side too.”

Leia turned back to the mural, and realized there indeed were pink swirls hidden within the blue.

“Kanan, Hera, and Zeb have unnecessary doubts,” Sabine continued. “Zeb especially. But not me. Never me. You know why?”

Leia blinked at her.

Sabine said, “I knew from the first conversation I had with him, over another mural, that he was worth it. He’s remarkable. He shines, and someone that bright should never flicker out.”

Leia found herself nodding in agreement. “In some languages, Luke’s name translates to the word ‘light.’ Did you know that?”

Sabine shook her head, and beamed. “That can’t be a coincidence.”

“I know it isn’t,” Leia said, and she confided, “he’s the only thing that’s kept me sane all this time. He’s my light. Everyone’s light.”

Sabine nodded in agreement, and Leia felt strangely close to this woman, this woman who she only knew as an acquaintance but suddenly wanted as a friend.

————

When Luke touched the ship down near the sunken Lothal Jedi Temple, Ezra gasped loudly.

Luke examined his profile once they landed. “What?”

“The sand’s receded,” Ezra murmured, fixated on what was outside the viewport. “It was completely submerged before.” Ezra was suddenly smiling maniacally at Luke. “This is what Darling is trying to tell us! All hope is not lost!”

He stared out at the visible temple spires, as if entranced in a dream he fully expected wasn’t reality. With startling clarity, Ezra snapped his head, once again, towards Luke’s profile. Ezra’s gaze drank in Luke, affection sweeping over them, replacing wonder with worship.

“It’s you,” Ezra breathed.

Luke knew this was important to Ezra, but he was at a complete loss. “How is it me? I haven’t done anything.”

Ezra seemed to grasp something that Luke couldn’t. His eyes were wide and beseeching as he said, “the Force wants the Temple to be found. The Force wants us here to save it! Don’t you see?”

Luke suddenly did see. He really did see.

But why was his body filled with dread?

Luke was staring at his lap, at his prosthetic hand, at the cylinder of metal strapped to his belt, and he couldn’t breathe.

The Force wanted disciples. And the Force wanted Luke and Ezra to train them.

But no. Luke couldn’t breathe properly, and he wasn’t ready to sign away his life to serving others. He wasn’t ready for that, but Ezra probably was, and he suddenly felt sick.

Here it was. A crossroads. Luke had prayed the day would never come, but here it was.

And he was not ready.

Ezra realized Luke was pale, and he hadn’t moved, and he was breathing shallowly. He realized this, and knelt on the durasteel, his gaze searching Luke’s face.

Before Ezra could verbalize the question, Luke dumped his thoughts onto Ezra’s Force signature served on a platter.

And he left the cockpit, hating everything about himself.

He reached the entrance ramp, where the Loth-wolf clawed sadly at the controls, unable to key them open. Luke sighed, and the wolf read every emotion inside him, and he keyed open the entrance. The ramp retracted, and Darling was torn between staying and leaving.

Luke smiled, even though it felt like a grimace. He nudged his head towards the ramp, and the Loth-wolf did the same, telling him to follow. He glanced uncertainly at the cockpit, and decided to follow the wolf anyway.

He knew what he had to do. It wasn’t what he wanted, but it’s what the Force wanted him to do.

He couldn’t deny the Force. He couldn’t deny the fabric of life itself.

Luke’s boots sank into loose desert sand, the sun beating down on his light clothing. For a second, he felt as if he never left Tatooine.

But only for a second.

The Loth-wolf guided him across the uneven terrain, towards the Temple spires. The roof was beginning to reveal itself in a large pit of sand, and that was where Darling stopped.

Luke dropped into the pit, placing his hands on a side of the roof. He felt the building itself thrum with life, and he closed his eyes.

The building moved against his palms, as if his fingers were brushing a flower petal. He should have lost his footing, but the Force compensated for the shifting sands.

He didn’t know how long he held his place, but it must have been a small eternity.

When he opened his eyes, he couldn’t help but be amazed.

The Jedi Temple was far larger than Luke imagined, and far grander. But it had a simplicity to it that was timeless.

The Loth-wolf nudged his side, and Luke remembered Ezra.

Despite Ezra’s gaping mouth, he didn’t lose sight of what brought him out there in the first place.

Luke hated himself. He hated himself so much.

Ezra made his way across the sand, and the wolf slipped away from view.

Ezra framed Luke’s face in his hands, and Luke was too shocked to stumble away. Ezra’s gaze was steel and fire and water and the Force and everything all at once. Luke could hardly comprehend the complexities of him, and Ezra bumped their foreheads together.

Their eyes closed, and Ezra’s arms encircled Luke’s waist, and he sighed into Luke’s body. Noses brushed, and hands were in Luke’s hair, and hearts beat two shirt layers apart.

They breathed together, their bodies molded together, and their Force signatures intertwined as if they were being intimate, as if it was only skin against skin and lips against lips and love against love.

Ezra’s voice drifted with the air as he breathed against Luke’s mouth, “do you feel that? All of that?”

Luke nodded, remembering how to breathe.

“That’s us,” Ezra said softly. “All of us. Everything we are. I would never give this up. Not for anything.”

Luke frowned, and Ezra’s arms moved to twine along the small of his back.

“I know that’s not what you were thinking,” Ezra whispered. “I know.” He waited a purposeful beat. “You were wrong about me being ready. I’m not. But even if I were, I need you to know: I would never abandon you if you weren’t ready.” He teased, “you taste far too sweet.”

Luke’s eyes fluttered open, and he brought Ezra’s bottom lip between his teeth. He clearly wasn’t expecting it from the little sound he made, but he didn’t nudge away.

Luke tossed his arms around Ezra’s neck and deepened the kiss. Ezra made another noise, this one of pleasure, and pulled back with a laugh bubbling from his lips. Ezra was practically drunk off of him, eyelashes hung low and his mind dazed. 

“Kriff,” Ezra said, “I forgot what we were talking about. What were we talking about?”

Luke smirked, incredibly satisfied with himself. “Come on,” he said gently, “I opened a Jedi Temple. We should probably look inside.”

Ezra whined, “noooo. Can we do more of this instead?”

Luke stepped back, and Ezra let him, hands dropping to his sides. “Come on, Ez,” he said amusedly.

Ezra pouted, but nevertheless followed Luke to the entrance. Darling was already there, but she wasn’t looking at the door.

Luke glanced to the horizon, and he gasped. Ezra snapped out of his daze and followed Luke’s eyeline.

Loth-wolves and Loth-cats alike circled the perimeter of the Jedi Temple, drawn to the insurmountable amount of Force energy exuded in the Light.

“This must be,” Ezra breathed, “every single one left.”

A Loth-wolf began to stalk towards them, and Darling walked in front of the couple. The unfamiliar wolf guided several balls of fur towards Darling, and she approached them.

It took Luke a second too long to realize the balls of fur were baby Loth-wolves, and the male wolf was clearly Darling’s mate.

“Oh,” Luke murmured.

“Darling’s a mother,” Ezra said, grinning as six baby wolves gathered around their mother, the family reunited at last.

Luke and Ezra shared a look, holding each other a little and trying not to cry.

“I knew this would be worth it,” Ezra said, his eyes glistening.

Luke chose not to say anything, pecking Ezra’s uninjured cheek and turning towards the doorway.

Two hand imprints that were not there before outlined the door, and Luke stepped forward. He placed his palm in the indent, and Ezra followed suit. The doors swung open, and with dozens of wizened eyes on them, Luke and Ezra entered the Temple.

————

Han knew he was bored when he spent an entire day flipping through wedding arrangement holozines.

It was meant to be the blushing bride’s job to make wedding preparations, but Leia was too busy as a General. Since Han didn’t have any smuggling missions on behalf of the New New Republic, that left him to his own devices.

He hardly left the Falcon, completely engrossed in holozines, and he wondered how in the kriff women could stand such tedious tasks.

When Leia returned to their bedroom that night, Han asked point blank, “how do you not want to shoot yourself with a blaster when you look at wedding holozines?”

Leia blinked at him incredulously, knowing her shock was the only tether preventing her from laughing. She bit her lip to stifle any noise, and turned towards the vanity.

As she undid her side buns, she replied, “a woman bears plenty of strife. Wedding holozines are just a drop in the ocean.”

As one section of Leia’s hair was freed, Han said, “how about we...you know...not deal with it at all.”

Leia’s second bun was undone, and she looked over her shoulder. “What do you mean?”

Before Han could second guess his thought process, he asked, “why don’t we just elope?”

Leia stood, facing him with a raised eyebrow. “When?”

Han grinned, his heart soaring once he didn’t face outright rejection of the idea. “Whenever, sweetheart. When we get the whole band back together. Y’know? Whenever you want to.”

“You know what?” Leia approached his side of the bed, plopping onto his lap. “That’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard.”

Han snorted. “Thanks.”

“I think,” Leia said playfully, “I’m going to put you in a state of waiting. Waiting for my word. Waiting for me to say ‘let’s do this, flyboy.’ That’s when you’ll know to grab everyone and fly away. Alright?”

Han was positively giddy at the prospect of running away at any time and marrying the woman that captivated him so long ago.

His eyes danced as he replied, “alright, Princess. You’ve got yourself a deal.”

————

After casing the Temple’s interior, Luke and Ezra decided to transfer supplies from the ship to inside the building. There were plenty of beds and untouched rooms to stay there. Every single Loth-wolf and Loth-cat guarded the Temple, slinking closer to the doors, some walking around the spacious entrance hall.

The Temple didn’t seem real, and both Jedi dubbed it a miracle that it was in such wonderful shape.

As they finished eating protein bars in the entrance hall, now lined with slumbering wolves and cats, Luke suggested, “we should spend time on Lothal. Get supplies. Food. Fuel.”

Ezra practically shone like the sun, even though night had fallen and the lights inside the Temple were dimmed. “Yeah? You mean it?”

Luke cradled Ezra’s hope in his hands and replied softly, “it couldn’t hurt to stay an extra day or two. We don’t have to be back yet.”

“I can show you home!” Ezra exclaimed, his entire being blissfully starlit. “It can be a vacation!”

“Yeah,” Luke said, allowing Ezra this time to be content. 

Ezra hadn’t smiled as much lately. He was troubled by the Ghost crew’s slow acceptance of Luke. They were finally getting there, seeking out Luke and speaking with him about missions or Ezra. And Sabine had become a good friend to Luke.

Ezra was always present with Luke, despite his feelings. He always cast it aside when they were together. Having all that attention solely on him made Luke forget their worries.

Because when Ezra looked, truly looked into Luke’s eyes, he looked directly into Luke’s soul, through the layers and to his core. All Luke could do was look at Ezra the exact same way.

Darling suddenly appeared, the antenna of a small radio in her mouth. Luke barely registered the square box before it was placed between them.

With her snout, she flicked on the switch, a red light blinking, followed by symphonic music playing softly on the radio.

Ezra was suddenly standing, grinning down at Luke and offering a hand. “May I have this dance?”

Luke squinted his eyes as he tilted his head up, fully expecting Ezra to laugh and say he was kidding.

Ezra was not kidding.

Luke blinked incredulously. “Um,” he slipped his hand in Ezra’s, moving to his feet and blushing, “I might step on your toes. I haven’t danced since Naboo.”

Ezra brought their intertwined hands to shoulder-length, Luke locking his other arm around Ezra’s neck.

When Ezra brought Luke close enough that their noses almost brushed, he murmured, “fine by me, love.”

Luke swallowed thickly, feeling Ezra begin their sway. “Love?”

Ezra hummed in a deeper tone, the kind that started in his chest. “Han has nicknames for Leia. Wanted to give it a shot.”

Luke examined the cut on Ezra’s cheek, which was already fading. Stubble was growing on his face; he hadn’t shaved since they left base, and Luke wasn’t sure if he preferred it or not.

“Those are just to rile her up,” Luke said fondly. “Though I suppose ‘love’ is the best option for us.”

“I thought so too,” Ezra said softly.

They both swayed for a moment, until Luke asked, “are you glad to be home?”

Ezra caught something more in Luke’s eyes, and answered, “I am, but being with you is just as important.”

When Luke flew away from Geonosis, he swore that he saw Tatooine closer than before. Going back wasn’t in the cards for him yet, but it was still possible. 

Luke didn’t know what changed. But if Ezra could take Luke to his home, mixed emotions and all, Luke could do the same.

The song ended, and Darling clicked off the radio with her nose. Luke and Ezra sent the Loth-wolf a smile as she rejoined her family.

Ezra asked absently, “I lost you for a second there. What were you thinking about?”

“Home,” Luke replied.

Somehow, Ezra understood, inclining his head and remaining silent.

————

Leia received an encrypted message from Luke the next day on her datapad. It was as if Luke knew she wanted to bash her skull in from drafting reports in the strategy room.

Leia ran over to a computer, where Wedge was making googly eyes at Commander Sampson. 

“Move,” Leia said, nudging his chair.

Wedge frowned at being interrupted, but vacated the seat. Leia plugged in her datapad to the computer, pulling up a codex to decipher the encryption. It looked to be a form of Huttese, but Leia couldn’t be sure.

“What’s going on?” Wedge asked dazedly, lingering over her shoulder.

Leia started the encryption program, and as it got to work, she replied, “Luke sent me a message.”

Wedge gasped, a brow shooting up. “Should I get someone?”

“Not yet,” Leia said curtly. “Just stay here.”

The program was half complete, and Leia realized she needed to buy some time. So she asked Wedge, “have you made a move with Commander Sampson yet?”

Wedge blushed a truly bright red. “How do you know about that?”

“Luke can’t hide anything from me,” Leia said with a smirk, “no matter how hard he tries.”

“Kriff,” Wedge sighed, “who else knows?”

“The crew of the Ghost. Han and Chewie. Ezra, Luke, and me.” Leia made sure her mental tally was right. “Some droids might know too. But that’s it.”

Wedge looked like he wanted to sink into the floor and never come up for air.

“It’s okay,” Leia sang, “you’re fine.”

The computer finished the encryption, and Leia practically fell out of the chair with how hard she swiveled it.

The message read: “We’re safe. Getting more fuel and supplies on Lothal. See you in three days.”

Leia frowned. “How boring. He could have at least spiced it up.”

Wedge snorted, his embarrassment leaving him slowly. “With what?”

“Describing his battle injuries. Tell us the gritty details of fighting a nexu.” Leia shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just underwhelmed.”

“If you say so, General.”

————

The markets at Lothal reminded Luke of Mos Eisley. He could have sworn if he looked between alleyways, Ben would be ducking in the shadows, all white hair and brown robes and blue-eyed wisdom.

He could have sworn when they entered a speakeasy that he was back in the cantina, meeting Han and Chewie for the first time, hearing Han’s cocky voice and debonair insults.

When they passed a spaceport, he could have sworn he was running towards the Falcon, stormtroopers shooting at them as they escaped with Artoo and Threepio.

Luke wouldn’t say these images haunted him, but they definitely got his mind churning.

It had been a decade since those events occurred. Out of every possible way to leave Tatooine as he had yearned, he would have never expected what happened next.

It wouldn’t do to ruminate on it, though. Luke could already hear his teachers scolding him. Head in the clouds. Mind on the horizon. Hoping, wishing, wondering about the future. Focusing too much on the past, not the present. Not the here and now.

That’s where he should be. The here and now. With Ezra. With wonderful, beautiful, smiling Ezra, who was showing him everything, his entire heart on display openly.

Luke knew it had been a decade since his life changed, but it had been over a decade earlier when Ezra was a doubtful homeless boy on these very streets.

It was Ezra that Luke should be caring about right now. Not his past. Not himself. Ezra.

As if the Force called out to him, Luke halted before they could reach a vendor. They had already bought what they needed, anyway, and fuel could wait.

The Force told him where to go, and Luke followed. Ezra had no choice but to come along too, since they could easily lose each other in a busy market.

Luke found himself on the outskirts of the market, at the entrance they had chosen not to take. He turned down the side of a building, and looked up at the wall. 

Luke’s eyes grew impossibly wide. Ezra had understated a great many things. 

Ezra said that he helped free Lothal from Imperial rule. He said that his half-cocked speeches weren’t that good, and he didn’t understand why people chose to follow him into the dark. He said that he was only a small part of the revolution, that his part was no bigger than any other Lothalian.

But the rainbow-colored mural of a smiling teenage Ezra Bridger that Luke saw in front of him was evidence to the contrary.

Despite how Ezra felt, Lothal clearly worshipped him. And despite how Ezra felt, he was the face of a historical revolution.

Out of every name and face and person, Lothalians chose Ezra Bridger to paint on the wall.

Below his rainbow-dyed face on the mural, surrounded by a wreath of desert flowers, was a quote written in graffiti:

‘Stand up together. Because that’s when we’re strongest—as one.’

Luke had heard about Ezra’s transmission from Leia. She cited the broadcast as the catalyst for several revolts in the outer rim territories. She played a portion of it when Luke first met Ezra, and he was curious about him.

It was clear from this quote that Ezra was like his parents, freedom fighters that fought until their final breaths. And it was clear that Ezra had an incredible amount of influence on the people of Lothal.

Ezra really did understate everything.

The man himself dug his fingers into Luke’s palm, and Luke curled his own fingers around his hand. Ezra was being uncharacteristically patient, allowing Luke this time to absorb the mural and understand his role in Lothal’s recent history.

After a moment, Luke glanced at Ezra, and realized this was why they were covering up their faces in bandannas.

Ezra didn’t want to be famous. He needed autonomy in this situation. He left Lothal because he didn’t want to be a celebrity. He didn’t crave their attention.

Only Luke’s.

He knew how it felt to be thrust into the public eye. Luke was glad to have such good friends to keep him in check, just as Ezra was glad to have a family to remind him of his humble beginnings.

Luke finally looked away from the mural, Ezra’s eyes as blue and cloudless as the sky. Luke yanked down Ezra’s bandanna and kissed him lightly, because he wanted to and he could and he should more often.

Ezra’s teeth caught his lip, and Luke’s mind short circuited. If Ezra’s hand twining around his back wasn’t there, he would have fainted from weakened knees.

Ezra suddenly felt taller against his body, and Luke was a lovestruck idiot for making such a move near a public place, when their love was meant only for them. Ezra seemed to understand nonetheless, nudging away from the kiss and staying in their embrace, everything and everyone be damned.

“What was that for?” Ezra murmured dazedly.

Luke brought Ezra’s bandanna back up to his lips, covering him to his nose. “Oh,” he shrugged, “just for being a liar.”

“Hey!” Ezra tore down his bandanna, a grin brightening his expression. “If this is the thanks I get, maybe I should lie more!”

“Tell the truth next time,” Luke said, “instead of being humble. The kisses are better.”

“Better?!” Ezra clutched his chest, his breath hitching between parted lips. “No such thing.”

Luke smirked, feeling as if he were inhabiting Leia in the middle of one of her flirty fights with Han. “Well,” he said airily, beginning to stride away, “I guess you’ll never find out.”

He caught sight of Ezra’s incredulous gape before he went back to the market entrance, and felt as if he were the most powerful man in the galaxy.

No wonder Leia found this so amusing.

Ezra practically tripped on sand as he trailed after Luke, and he bit back a laugh.

Ezra was very close to him, then, tipping his head up, gaze hungry yet gentle at the same time.

“Luke Skywalker,” he asked, “when can I get you alone?”

Luke smiled sweetly. “Patience.”

Ezra made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat, but didn’t pressure him.

————

Leia was invading Wedge’s privacy. But seeing him talking with Commander Nathaniel Sampson was too good of a scene to pass up.

They were sitting near the bar at a booth. Wedge had barely touched his drink. He was enraptured by the other man, who clearly didn’t understand Wedge had a crush on him.

Though Leia knew — because she asked Nate herself — that he did prefer the same gender. The two played for the same team, but Nate wasn’t there yet. It made sense, since the first real conversation Wedge and Nate had was during the party on Naboo. That was only a few weeks ago, and friendship came first.

Leia watched them discreetly as Han jokingly acted as the bartender. Chewbacca yowled instructions on how to make certain cocktails, and Han was buzzed enough to play along for a while longer.

Leia downed a whiskey shot, Sabine appearing to take up the empty seat next to her.

“Who are you staring at?” Sabine asked confusedly.

Han leaned over the counter, examining the two women. “You’re friends with Luke, right?”

“Yeah,” Sabine replied.

“You know how Luke and Ezra are, right?”

“Um,” Sabine shrugged, “I guess.”

Leia picked up on Han’s thought process. She pointedly glanced over at Wedge and Nate. “See those two idiots over there?”

Sabine followed her gaze and said, “yeah.”

“The guy you met at the Naboo party, Wedge,” Leia compared, “is currently Luke, who had a crush on Ezra. The other guy, Nate, is Ezra, who currently has no clue.”

Sabine narrowed her eyes at the couple in confusion. “Luke fell for Ezra first?”

“Shortly before Ezra did,” Leia answered, “yes.” She readjusted in her seat. “You see, Luke gets attached to just about anyone that’s good. And seeing a Force sensitive his own age that is, dare I say, handsome?”

“Excuse me!” Han exclaimed, pointing a finger at Leia.

Leia batted his hand away. “Check your ego somewhere else, Han.”

Sabine chuckled as Han slinked away.

Leia continued, “Luke was starstruck. Absolutely amazed at his luck. He thought he was all alone in this, so he fell in love, like, immediately. I could sense it.”

“How long did it take Ezra, then?” Sabine asked curiously.

“Few weeks,” Leia replied, “but it made sense. To me and Luke. It wasn’t like they would suddenly meet and fall in love immediately. That’s not realistic. It was good they waited to get to know each other.” She revealed, “and Ezra told me in confidence that he felt the same, but thought he wasn’t good enough! Can you believe that fool?”

Sabine snorted. “Ezra really is a fool.”

Leia directed her attention back to Wedge and Nate. She raised her whiskey glass, which Han must have filled up before he was banished. “Let’s hope those fools get it together soon.”

“Here here,” Sabine said amusedly.

————

Luke was teaching a lightsaber training class.

He was teaching a class of Force sensitive children, and he was a decade older. He was starting to age noticeably on his face, his blonde hair losing its color near his ears. He wore black robes, and he was smiling as he taught lightsaber forms.

He was unbelievably patient with each child, guiding them where needed, calming them when they got frustrated. His salient eyes were tired, but fulfilled. His mind was clear, and his thoughts were on the present, on where he was in that moment, as Yoda instructed him.

Experience had wizened him a great deal, even though he was hardly middle aged in human years. He looked as if he had lived several lifetimes already, and did not sweat the issues that plagued his current state of mind.

When the class was over, and the children disappeared in a hazy cloud, the appearance of one man set vision-Luke at ease.

The man moved until Luke sat on a desk, and gathered Luke’s face in his hands. When the man kissed Luke tenderly, Luke knew it could only be Ezra.

Luke didn’t recognize him at first, since Ezra’s hair was now longer than his own, and tied into a bun. A thick beard also obscured Ezra’s face, as well as his cheekbone scars.

It was the skin and the eyes and the body, and the way they made vision-Luke feel beautiful, that he knew it was the same Ezra. Just a little older, and a little wiser, and so incredibly at peace that Luke ached for this to be real.

Vision-Ezra pulled away from his loving kiss with vision-Luke. He murmured, “how were they today, love?”

If Luke could gasp, he would have.

This wasn’t a simple dream, was it?

“Warren was a bit troubled today,” vision-Luke said softly. “So was Lana. I worry for them.”

“I’m watching them too,” Ezra said. “It’s not like we could expect them all to be angels anyway, right?”

Luke hummed. “Wishful thinking on my part, perhaps.”

Ezra kissed Luke’s cheek, because he wanted to and because he could and because he should more often.

Ezra’s voice became as sweet as sugar. “Shall we bring everyone out to dinner, husband?”

If Luke had his breath, it would have been stolen.

He saw vision-Luke’s ring all of a sudden, a silver band glinting in the overhead light. Ezra had a copy of the same ring on his own hand, which was cupping Luke’s cheek.

“You only call me that when you want me to concede,” Luke huffed.

“And will you?” Ezra asked hopefully.

Vision-Luke made a show of thinking about it for a moment.

Finally, he said, “I suppose fresh air will do them good.”

Ezra grinned, and it was exactly the same as now, youthful and joyous. “I’ll tell them the wonderful news.”

As Ezra slipped out of the classroom with the giddiness of a younger him, the vision faded.

And Luke woke up as the sun rose, lying back against his pillow. A chill was in the air, and he covered up to his bare chest with the blanket.

The slivers of darkness in the bedroom were suddenly lit by a presence in the Force. 

No, two presences in the Force.

They appeared to Luke as ghosts at the foot of the bed. He thought that they both rested in peace as the war ended, but they supposedly couldn’t. The Force was always living, even if the inhabitants of it were dead.

“Hello Luke,” Ben Kenobi said.

“Been a while, it has,” Yoda observed.

Luke gathered his knees to his chest, feeling self-conscious as he covered himself completely. He glanced alarmedly at Ezra, and realized they must be tapping into the Force to ensure he slept undisturbed.

His cheeks burned when he realized all the things they had done last night. And in a sacred Temple, no less.

“Have you come to punish me?” Luke asked, feeling very much like a scolded child, even though his Masters hardly said a word.

“Punish you,” Ben echoed, eyes shining and a chuckle escaping him. “I think not, child.”

Luke wanted to snap that he wasn’t a child, but Ben inclined his head before he could.

“Though you’re not a child anymore,” Ben shook his head, as if finding it difficult to believe, “are you?”

Luke realized it was hard for Ben, especially since he watched Luke grow up on Tatooine, if at a distance, to understand what he missed.

Luke held his head high, hearing Leia’s voice coaching him. “No,” he said.

“Then why are you embarrassed?” Ben asked amusedly.

Luke brought his legs back down, skidding underneath the blanket. In the span of a breath, he gathered himself.

“Master Yoda,” Luke asked, “was the vision your doing, or the Force’s?”

There was a twinkle in Yoda’s eyes. “The same, we are now.”

Luke nodded, because it made sense for the most powerful Jedi in existence to be able to control the living Force and bend to its will.

“What was it, exactly?” Luke inquired, feeling foolish for not knowing the answer.

Yoda looked ready to chortle, the sound that used to drive Luke off the wall with frustration.

“Had this conversation,” Yoda said, “we have.”

Luke thought back to Dagobah, when he wound up most days covered in swamp water and nursing a crushed spirit. He was using his hands to push his entire body upside down. He was concentrating, levitating stones, when a vision hit him like a wave. He crashed to the ground with the weight of it, of watching his friends die in a city suspended atop the clouds.

‘It is the future you see.’ That was what Yoda had said.

Luke echoed his old words, but phrased it as a statement. “The future.”

And then Luke knew why the Force had chosen to show him the vision. It was to reassure him that all was not lost. Nothing was, not where Ezra was concerned.

“You will be alright, Luke,” Ben said. “You know what the Force wants, but there is still time. I know it is what you need.”

“Until next time,” Yoda said, and it sounded too much like a goodbye for Luke’s liking.

Luke expected there would be plenty of almost goodbyes, but none would truly stick. He would always have need of his Masters.

The two Force ghosts faded into the air, until there was no trace of them at all.

Another moment ticked by, and Ezra woke up, throwing an arm across Luke. His fingers skidded across the blanket, poking his thigh.

He said into the pillow, “get under here, love.”

Luke slid his body beneath the blanket, tossing a leg over Ezra’s. 

That got his eyes to snap open, a smirk reaching his lips. He made a grumbling noise as Luke adjusted on top of him. Luke laid against Ezra’s muscular torso, coyly kissing the corner of his mouth.

“Hey, babe,” Luke murmured.

“Oh,” Ezra grinned wryly, “so I’m your ‘babe’ now?”

“That’s right,” Luke declared proudly.

Ezra locked an arm around Luke’s lower back, the other hand digging into Luke’s fluffy hair. He looked far too pleased with himself when he kissed Luke deeply enough to render him dizzy.

Luke decided to counter by pressing his thoughts into each kiss, hoping that the Force would make him understand. It was everything he needed to say, but couldn’t in words, should Ezra tease him incessantly.

The thoughts lingered with each kiss as Luke let his consciousness stream naturally: ‘I love it here. I love you here. You glow. Your entire being glows. You’re brighter than any star here. Brighter than the sun. Your heat is enough to warm us both. You are the warmth of the day and the calm of the night. You are beautiful here. So beautiful that I’m breathless. You are at peace here. Your aura sings here. You are Lothal, and Lothal is you. I love you, I love you, I love you.’

Ezra shuddered, and Luke pulled back.

Their Force signatures had spilled together, Luke’s unwavering light filling up the cracks in Ezra’s foundations. His cut was a mere dash on his cheek, just as Luke’s arm was a mere ache. 

His long dark lashes fluttered open, and Ezra’s eyes welled with a wetness that shouldn’t be there. It made his irises seem like glittering sapphires, found in an endless cave until a flashlight made the crystals shine upon being discovered.

Ezra exhaled shakily, dispersing the wetness in his eyes. His fingertips dragged up Luke’s spine lightly, not enough to give him goosebumps but enough for a shiver. His other hand slid through Luke’s hair and cupped his cheek. This was Ezra’s way of finding a foothold, something to focus on while he sifted through their shared feelings.

Ezra swallowed to moisten his throat, his gaze raking over every pore on Luke’s face, every blemish, every faded scar, the mole near his nose and under his mouth.

“To be honest,” Ezra breathed, “I don’t know what to say.”

They looked at each other for a beat, and started laughing.

————

Leia didn’t know what she was doing. She should be working. She should be chained to her datapad. She should be doing anything to keep her mind busy.

What she shouldn’t be doing is training with Luke’s spare lightsaber.

It was best she not think about it once being her father’s lightsaber.

Luke said she should train in case of emergency, and Leia decided today was the day to lose her wits and follow his advice. She found Luke’s training bot that shot blaster bolts, as well as a blacked out flight helmet that Luke used to train years ago.

Leia tied her curtain of hair up with a volley of pins, stuck on Luke’s old helmet, and turned on the bot. She ignited the lightsaber, bathing the supply room in blue. She could hardly see a thing, but she closed her eyes anyway, dipping into the Force.

There was silence, and then, a warning.

Leia instinctively angled the lightsaber to her left side, and she heard the bolt deflect off the blade.

She inhaled to center herself, knowing she couldn’t get cocky.

Before the blast could be heard, Leia tipped the lightsaber towards her right leg, the bolt catching against it. She took Luke’s stance, angling the lightsaber diagonally to her right side. She caught another blaster bolt with the blade before it singed her shoulder.

The bot began to move, and Leia moved with it, taking several sidesteps to track it. Then, it cut a corner and fired.

With a speed Leia didn’t know she had, she deflected the bolt before it could slice her ear off.

There was a beach wave in the Force, and Leia slyly ducked a bolt to shut off the training bot. She disengaged the lightsaber, clipping it on her belt easily. She took off Luke’s helmet, turning towards Kanan at the door.

“Most impressive,” Kanan praised. “Should I applaud?”

Leia shook her head. “I’d prefer you didn’t.”

Kanan stepped inside the supply room, the door hissing closed. Leia realized absently she had never been alone with Kanan Jarrus before.

Neither had Luke, for that matter.

“I apologize for the intrusion,” Kanan said, his eyes gleaming, “but I sensed a flurry of activity in the Force, and wanted to investigate.”

“A flurry, huh?” Leia asked warily. “I’m working on that.”

“That’s alright,” Kanan said smoothly. “Everyone has a different learning curve.”

“So Luke says.”

Kanan bristled at the mention of Luke, cupping his hands together behind his back. “He is far wiser than he lets on.”

“That came from experience,” Leia said, “and learning alone.”

“I was the same,” Kanan divulged. “I had no one either.”

“Is that why you’re wary around him?” Leia prodded.

“Ah,” Kanan’s face twisted, “I thought I was hiding it well enough.”

“We’re the Skywalker twins,” Leia said decisively, “you cannot hide anything from us. One of us, perhaps, but not both of us.”

“I should have known,” Kanan observed. “You were trained to spot deception as a Senator.”

“And deflection,” Leia countered, wondering when this became a verbal sparring match. She realized she was clutching the training sphere, and set it atop a weapons crate.

“I see myself in him,” Kanan admitted. “That is why I am wary around him. It’s a hard pill to swallow.”

“But Luke is good,” Leia said factually. “Why are you worried?”

“Because Ezra is a son to me,” Kanan replied honestly. “How could I not be concerned for my own son?”

Leia’s instinct was to let her temper rise up to defend her brother. But the entire reason she trained was so she could control her anger. And she didn’t want to make a fool of herself in front of a Jedi.

“You haven’t seen them together as much as I have,” Leia said. “They’re unstoppable.”

“I don’t dispute that. I’m just…”

“Slow to trust?” Leia knew she guessed correctly, and she nodded in understanding. “You must know they are the same.”

“As what?”

“As you and Hera,” Leia said nonchalantly. “The same as me and Han. The same as...kriff, the same as Artoo and Threepio, the more I think about it.” She tilted her head to the side. “Luke and Ezra are a pair now. The sooner you get used to that, the sooner they’ll let you in.” She added, “it seems your string of cargo retrieval missions with them didn’t help you understand that.”

Kanan narrowed his eyes at her, completely confounded by her words.

“Stars,” he said a moment later, “you might be right.”

Leia wanted to rub it in his face, but she smiled demurely instead. 

“Sabine accepted Luke right away,” Leia said pointedly. “Take a page from her book.”

Since she was tired of talking, she popped Luke’s helmet back on her head and retrieved the training sphere. By the time she ignited her lightsaber and the orb started firing, Kanan had left.

————

After Leia’s ship was refueled, it was time for Luke and Ezra to leave Lothal.

As they exited the Jedi Temple, dozens of Loth-wolves and Loth-cats watched them walk away sadly. Darling and her brood of pups followed them to the ship ramp.

Ezra knelt, and as little fluffy wolves licked his hands, he murmured, “I don’t wanna leave.”

Luke admitted, “me neither.”

Darling sensed their melancholy and nudged her head towards Luke’s palm. Luke smiled and brushed her head.

“Don’t worry,” Luke said to everyone, “we’ll come back.”

At the finality of his tone, Ezra rose to his feet and grinned. “Really?”

“Really,” Luke echoed.

They sent one last look to the Force-sensitive animals that surrounded the locked Temple, and ascended the ramp.

Luke waited until they left Lothal’s atmosphere to speak again.

“I had a vision,” Luke said.

Ezra swiveled in the copilot’s chair, observing him with incredulous eyes. “When?”

“This morning.”

Ezra leaned forward in the chair, wanting to take Luke’s hand but couldn’t, because Luke’s hands were on the wheel. 

“And?” Ezra asked impatiently. “Are you going to tell me the contents of this vision?”

Luke smirked, and Ezra huffed.

“You were trying to rile me up by pausing, huh?” Ezra asked amusedly.

Luke plotted the coordinates to base, and put the ship on autopilot. He faced Ezra’s chair and said, “we’ll go back there. And we’ll stay.”

“And we’ll,” Ezra guessed, “have Force sensitive little monsters in that Temple?”

Luke chuckled softly. “You make them sound like heathens.”

“Oh,” Ezra beamed, “I have no doubt they will be. But the lovable kind.”

Luke hummed, his aura shining to meet Ezra’s brightness.

“So we fulfill the Force’s wishes,” Ezra stated. “What else?” He asked eagerly.

Luke bit his lip, wondering if he would create a jinx by mentioning it. Ezra noticed the hesitation and grasped Luke’s hands. Their clasp dangled between their laps, in the short space between their chairs.

Luke stared at his hands for a moment too long, and Ezra’s breath hitched.

“Oh,” Ezra cooed, “we really love each other, don’t we?”

Luke’s gaze slid towards Ezra’s affectionate expression, surprised not to see a trace of a teasing glint in his eyes. Ezra was completely serious, not downplaying it, not cheapening its intensity with jokes.

Ezra saw him, and Luke saw Ezra right back.

Ezra rose from the copilot’s chair, throwing a leg around Luke’s opposite side. He lowered himself into Luke’s lap, arms thrown around Luke’s shoulders.

Luke blinked up in shock as Ezra sank into him, foreheads bumping together. They breathed in tandem for a moment, eyes fluttered closed and the Force encircling them.

“I love you,” Ezra said, “and I’m glad I have you.”

Luke tilted his head up, catching Ezra’s lips with his own.

“I love you too,” Luke breathed.

————

Leia was the first to hug Luke when the ship ramp opened. He nearly lost his balance with the force of her hug, but he righted himself just in time to catch her feet before they hit the ground.

“Wow,” Luke said, “you really do miss me, huh?”

“Don’t get used to it,” Leia said dryly, Luke chuckling as he set her down.

Sabine had since hugged Ezra, the only member of the Ghost crew present for the reunion, and asked, “what happened to your face?”

Ezra scrunched his nose when she mentioned the cut on his cheek below his dual scars. “Nothing much.”

“Luke will tell you,” Han said to Sabine pointedly, going over to pat Luke’s back as a hello.

Sabine asked Luke, “what did our boy do this time?”

“Hey!” Ezra whined in protest. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here!”

Sabine stuck her tongue out at him.

Luke snorted and replied, “Ezra gave the guard some backtalk, and didn’t account for the fact that he was carrying a very pointy staff.”

Sabine sighed, but didn’t seem surprised. “Oh Ezra.”

“Hey,” Ezra said confidently, “you all love me.”

Chewbacca growled something, and Ezra clutched his heart, gasping loudly.

“Chewie,” Ezra grinned, “why, I never!”

Luke laughed along with Leia and Han and Sabine, sensing Ezra’s heart soar at Chewie’s lighthearted jab.

He laughed and laughed, because Ezra was now, without a doubt, a part of the Falcon family.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated!


End file.
